The White Monster That Can Mimic Others

Deep in the shadows of the spectator stands.

Shigure watched the noisy Naruto, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Of course, I'm doing this to harvest your emotional energy.

Still... it felt like he had about reached the limit.

The emotional energy Naruto had been providing over the last two days was starting to dwindle; it was time to switch back to Sasuke.

A glimmer of excitement flashed in Shigure's eyes. He licked his lips, looking forward to the "surprises" he would receive next.

The real show was only just beginning!

Entering the dream once more.

Sasuke felt the scene before him shift abruptly.

He snapped his eyes open and found himself in his bedroom.

The morning sun filtered through the paper sliding doors, illuminating the tatami-matted floor and the minimalist wooden furniture.

Sasuke froze for a moment, then realized where he was.

This was his own bedroom in the Uchiha clan compound.

"Great! It's still me today!"

Sasuke whispered, clenching his fists in delight, his handsome face unable to hide his excitement.

[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Sasuke Uchiha captured! Emotional energy +200!]

However, this excitement lasted only a moment before Sasuke regained his composure.

Naruto and the others were surely watching his every move on the screen in the spectator stands.

His expression shifted; he quickly suppressed his joy, cleared his throat with a feigned air of nonchalance, and forced his face back into a cool, indifferent mask.

Little did he know, his mouth—which was harder to keep straight than an AK—had been broadcast exactly as it was.

Everyone in the spectator stands had seen his reaction clearly.

"That damn Sasuke!"

Naruto watched the big screen as Sasuke went from punching the air in excitement to putting on a cold, indifferent act, and he couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration. "And he says he doesn't want to dream at all! He's so shameless! I'm definitely going to give him a piece of my mind tomorrow!"

[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Naruto Uzumaki captured! Emotional energy +200!]

Naruto waved his fist indignantly, looking as if he had been dealt a massive blow.

Beside him, Sakura and Kakashi shook their heads helplessly.

When would these two ever give it a rest?

On the screen.

Sasuke didn't realize his little performance had been caught red-handed.

After adjusting his emotions, he pushed open the paper door and stepped out.

The hallway outside was as familiar as ever. The air carried the faint scent of morning dew, and the occasional crisp chirping of birds in the distance added a sense of leisure to the morning in the clan compound.

Sasuke hurried to the living room, only to find that his mother, who usually waited there, was absent. Instead, two men stood in her place.

One of them, whom he despised to his core, was sitting calmly by the low table.

Opposite him sat another youth, both a stranger and a familiar face.

Sasuke's gaze first landed on the black-haired man nearby, a complex surge of emotions rising in his heart.

The man had refined features, a Leaf Village headband tied around his forehead, and wore a black high-collared uniform. His entire demeanor was steady and cold.

It was his brother, Itachi Uchiha.

Even seeing this brother again in a dream, Sasuke felt an instinctive sense of loathing and resistance.

He gave a soft huff and turned his head away, not bothering to look Itachi in the eye.

Next, Sasuke shifted his gaze to the person sitting across from Itachi.

It was a young ninja who looked to be in his early twenties.

His thick black hair was slightly messy, and his expression was a mix of gentleness and heroic spirit.

He wore a gray sleeveless combat vest, and the armor on his chest and shoulders glinted coldly in the morning light.

The youth noticed Sasuke's arrival and turned to give him a slight smile.

Sasuke stared at him for two seconds, and the memories of this person in his mind gradually became clear.

In the next instant, his pupils constricted.

Isn't that Shisui?

In the spectator stands.

Naruto and Sakura were completely confused by the strange black-haired youth on the screen.

They didn't know Shisui Uchiha, so they naturally didn't notice anything special.

However, when Kakashi saw the youth's attire and appearance, his pupils shrank slightly, and his expression turned grave.

A gray combat vest...

That was the standard uniform of the ANBU.

"In this world, the Body Flicker Shisui is actually in the ANBU?" Kakashi muttered to himself.

His gaze shifted back and forth between the two Uchihas on the screen, lost in thought.

In this dream world, Shisui was active as an ANBU?

He just wondered which squad he belonged to.

In the dream.

Sasuke felt uneasy, but he tried his best to maintain his composure.

He steeled himself and walked into the living room to face his two "brothers."

"Hmph."

He cast a cold glance at Itachi, still ignoring his own brother as if he were nothing more than air.

After putting on this arrogant, distant display, Sasuke bypassed Itachi and walked straight toward Shisui.

Seeing his younger brother act this way, Itachi couldn't help but frown, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

But in the end, he said nothing, only letting out a soft sigh.

Sasuke reached Shisui, his cold expression melting instantly, replaced by genuine admiration and joy.

His voice held an unmistakable intimacy: "Shisui-nii! Hello!"

This affectionate greeting was as natural and warm as it had been every time he saw Shisui when he was a child.

When he was young, Shisui had taken good care of Sasuke, not only teaching him basic shuriken techniques but also playing with him often. In Sasuke's heart, he was like an older brother.

Now, after not seeing him for years, seeing Shisui sitting there safe and sound, Sasuke's excitement was beyond words.

[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Sasuke Uchiha captured! Emotional energy +200!]

Shisui, who had been talking to Itachi in low tones, was slightly taken aback by Sasuke's enthusiastic greeting.

He widened his eyes in disbelief, his gaze shifting between Sasuke and Itachi.

Was this really the same little Sasuke who used to cling to Itachi all day, worshiping his brother to no end?

How had he changed so much?

Seeing Shisui's surprised expression, Itachi sighed and rubbed his forehead. "See? Didn't I tell you? Sasuke has a lot of grievances against me right now."

Shisui recovered and laughed. "Haha, it seems that's the case."

He stood up, brushed the wrinkles from his uniform, and turned to Itachi with a serious look. "Alright, Itachi, you don't need to accompany me on the village investigation mission this time. You should stay and spend some time with your brother."

With that, Shisui pushed the empty teacup aside, clearly intending to take his leave.

He turned, adjusted his collar, and continued to smile at Itachi. "That white monster that can mimic others hasn't caused any major trouble yet; the situation isn't too serious. I can handle the investigation on my own, so don't worry too much."

Itachi nodded slightly and urged, "Then I'll leave it to you, Shisui. Be careful."

"Don't worry." Shisui gave a hearty laugh and waved his hand. "I'll take care of that guy as soon as possible."

Sasuke watched the conversation between the two brothers, completely bewildered.

A white monster?

One that can mimic others?

It sounded like a troublesome mission...

Just as Sasuke was lost in thought, Shisui walked toward him. "Sasuke, listen to your brother and stop being so difficult with him, okay?"

Shisui reached out with a look of concern and ruffled Sasuke's hair.

Sasuke turned his head away. "I don't have to listen to him."

Shisui laughed in surprise at the reaction, then strode toward the door. "I'm off, then."

"Goodbye, Shisui-nii!" Sasuke hurried to follow him for two steps, bowed respectfully to Shisui, and watched him leave.

As Shisui's figure disappeared around the corner of the courtyard, Sasuke remained staring in the direction he had left, his heart filled with both joy that Shisui was safe and a lingering sense of loss.

However, on second thought, since Shisui had specifically asked Itachi to stay and keep him company, he probably wouldn't be able to get out of it now...

He had to collect his thoughts and turn back to his brother.

Only Sasuke and Itachi remained in the living room, and the atmosphere fell into a brief silence.

Itachi walked over to his brother, bent down slightly, and offered a gentle smile. "Sasuke, I have the whole day free today. I can practice ninjutsu with you."

His tone was cautious and expectant, clearly trying to use this opportunity to mend his relationship with his brother.

However, upon hearing this, Sasuke's face darkened instantly.

"I don't need you to keep me company!" He turned his head away impatiently, muttering under his breath, "I don't care for it at all!"

Having said that, Sasuke turned and walked away, looking as if he wanted to keep everyone at arm's length.

Itachi reached out and grabbed his wrist, smiling bitterly. "It was my fault last time... but it's been several days, you should be over it by now."

Sasuke stopped, said nothing, and just gave a sullen "hmph."